Fatal Car Crash in Malibu Shuts Down Both Sides of Pacific Coast Highway

At approximately 6 a.m. the morning of Friday, November 8, a violent crash occurred on Pacific Coast Highway near Tuna Canyon Road in Malibu. Pacific Coast Highway remains closed from Tuna Canyon Road to Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The collision resulted in the death of at least one person. Another person is injured – information about his or her condition is unknown. The accident involved at least one SUV; the other vehicle, although on scene, has not been effectively identified due to the significant damage it took. Almost immediately after the incident, one person was reported to not have a pulse; this individual was declared dead at the scene of the accident, based on the California Highway Patrol (there is no information about the victim’s name, age, or gender yet). Unfortunately, these auto accidents are far too common. Many people are seriously injured in accidents similar to the one mentioned above. Many others lose their lives. In incidents that occurred due to the negligent or reckless actions of other parties or entities, victims and their families can sometimes take legal action. For injured victims and surviving family members, taking legal action after a car accident can result in the recovery of compensation. Although recovering any monetary compensation cannot reverse the harm resulting from an auto accident, it could aid victims and their families with moving past such a traumatic incident. If you or a member of your family suffered harm in the incident described above or any other similar incident, you might have grounds to pursue a claim. If you are interested about learning more about your right to sue the liable party or entity for the harm that you suffered during the auto accident, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. You can trust the experts at Downtown L.A. Law Group. Downtown L.A. Law Group is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience successfully handling a number of claims, including auto accident claims. Whether the accident that you or a member of your family suffered resulted in injuries or death, you could be certain that our experts will provide you with the proper representation to ensure that you can successfully file a claim. If you are ready to allow the car accident experts at our firm to handle your claim, contact us today.

Malibu Car Accident Statistics

According to information provided by the Malibu/Lost Hills Sherriff’s Station, in 2005, Malibu ranked first in traffic victims both killed and injured in auto accidents. Malibu was the worst of 104 cities within the same category (based on population and vehicle miles traveled each day). It doesn’t end there, however. Malibu has received top-ranks in many other cases. For example, Malibu was ranked second-worst city for injuries and deaths in alcohol-related incidents. Malibu was also ranked first in alcohol-related accidents for drivers ranging in age from 21 to 34. Malibu also ranked first in collisions caused by speeding, second in nighttime accidents, and ninth in collisions killing and injuring bicyclists. Many traffic actually occur on Pacific Coast Highway. Although it has a 45mph speed limit, drivers usually travel at freeway speeds, which can quickly become disastrous. Because of that, many of the accidents that occur on Pacific Coast Highway are similar to those seen on freeways. Unfortunately, the city’s efforts to combat the issues leading to these accidents have not been enough to reduce the number of incidents.

Liability for Auto Accidents

Auto accidents do not just happen without a reason. Usually, it is the negligence and recklessness of a party that causes car accidents and contributes to all the harm suffered. Who caused the accident that harmed you or members of your family? Who contributed to the harm that you or a member of your family suffered? There are a number of parties who could be liable for auto accidents. Consider the following points:

• You could be liable, or at least partially liable, for the accident. Your own recklessness and negligence could have contributed to your accident. If you hold all fault, you will be unable to take action against any party or entity. If another party or entity is at least partially liable, you could still take action (yes, even if you were at-fault, too).
• The other party involved in the accident could be liable for the accident. All drivers have a duty of care towards others on the road, meaning that all drivers have to drive safety, follow all traffic rules, and exercise caution while driving. When they exercise any sort of recklessness, they can effectively cause accidents and contribute to the injuries that innocent parties suffer. If the other party involved in the accident is found liable, you could take legal action.
• The city could be liable for the accident. Specifically, the city could be liable for accidents if a hazard that should have been addressed by the city caused the accident, such hazards could include potholes, defective roads, blind intersections, and defective signals, for example. When the city fails to address hazards that eventually contribute to accidents, the city could be at-fault and liable (and sued) for all harm suffered.
• The manufacturer of cars involved in the accident could be liable for the accident. In some cases, auto defects directly contribute to accidents. Electric failures, brake failures, and many other issues that could be directly related to a manufacturing defect could contribute to accidents and harm suffered. In cases in which manufacturer defects resulted in accidents that contributed to any harm, victims could take action against the car manufacturer.

Many different parties could be liable for the harm caused by auto accidents based on different incident details. If you would like to learn more about liability and your right to pursue a claim, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts at your earliest convenience.

Your Right to Pursue a Claim

Do you have the right to file a claim if you or a member of your family suffered any type of harm in a car accident? You could only pursue a claim if the negligent or reckless actions of a party contributed to the accident and to the harm that you suffered. As explained above, many different parties could be liable for car accidents. If you can establish liability for a car accident, you could also pursue a claim against the liable party. If you would like to learn more about liability and your right to pursue a claim for the harm that you suffered, seek legal assistance with our car accident experts today. Your Right to Recover Compensation Depending on the specific details of your car accident claim, you could be eligible to recover compensation upon reaching a successful outcome. The type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to recover will always depend on the details of the claim; some of the different compensation that could be available for recovery could include the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost earnings
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral and burial costs
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages

To speak with a Los Angeles brain injury lawyer, call (855) 339-8879.

No matter the details of your claim, you can be certain that our car accident lawyers will always do everything within their reach to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation available for your claim. To learn more about the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to recover based on the details of your claim, do not hesitate to contact our firm at your earliest convenience.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

<>Car accidents, specifically, can be a hassle to deal with because of insurance companies. Insurance companies will do everything within their reach to prevent paying claimants – even those with valid claims. Insurance companies often give claimants the runaround in hopes that claimants will simply drop their claims. Unfortunately, many of the cheap tricks practiced by insurance companies are successful – so harmed claimants simply stop pursuing their claims. If affected parties lack legal representation, it is likely that insurance companies will be able to successfully take advantage of innocent victims. Because of that, it is always recommended to consult with an attorney to ensure that clients have the appropriate legal representation to handle their claims against insurance companies.

What Should You Do?

If you were involved in an auto accident, there are a number of things that you should do to preserve your right to take legal action and increase the possibility of reaching a successful claim outcome. Consider the following points:

• Take photos of all injuries suffered
• Take photos of the scene of the accident (including property damage)
• Identify any traffic cameras or surveillance cameras that could have captured your accident
• Get medical attention for all injuries
• Gather all medical records
• File a police report
• Gather witness contact information
• Contact insurance companies to make a claim (never admit fault)
• Seek legal assistance immediately

Get started today by calling (855) 339-8879.

If you are unsure of the specific action that you should take to prepare to file a claim, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm at your earliest convenience. Our lawyers will evaluate your claim and help you gather the tools necessary to pursue your claim.

Claims are Subject to Deadlines

If you are interested in filing a claim for the harm that you suffered, it is essential that you file your claim within the appropriate length of time. All claims are subject to a statute of limitations – a timeframe that determines the specific time that you have to file your claim. If you fail to file on time, you will lose your right to sue. Typically, car accident claims – including injury claims and wrongful death claims – are subject to a two-year statute of limitations in the state of California. However, if the claim involves a government agency (such as a city) – specifically, if the government agency has some sort of liability in the accident – claimants will have to file within a shorter length of time. In California, claims against government entities are usually subject to a stricter six-month deadline. For more information about the specific deadline that applies to your claim, do not hesitate to contact our law firm at your earliest convenience; our lawyers are ready to provide you with all the information that you need.

Contac Our Law Firm Today

At Downtown L.A. Law Group, we are dedicated to providing all victims with the proper representation that they need to take action against the parties or entities liable for the harm suffered. To ensure that all victims have access to the appropriate information, our firm offers free legal services – which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. These free legal services are available through our Zero-Fee guarantee, which ensures that our clients never have to pay any upfront legal fees. Our firm is also based on contingency, so clients will only be responsible for legal fees after they win; if they do not win, they will not pay. If you are ready to discuss your car accident claim with our car accident experts, do not hesitate to contact our firm today.